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. Warren E. Peterson <br />jerotne P. Filla <br />Daniel Witt Frain <br />Glenn A. Bergman <br />Jahn Michael Miller <br />:Michael T. oberle <br />Steven H. Bruns' <br />Paul W. Fahning- <br />-Sonla R. Ortiz <br />Amy K. L. Schmidt <br />Ben 1_ Rust <br />lonathan R. Cuskey <br />Jared M. Goerlitz <br />=I - <br />! -1 milal � 1 <br />PaoFessIaNnL assacIaTrorr <br />Noah Simon <br />Assistant City Administrator <br />City of Arden Hills <br />1245 west highway 96 <br />Arden Hills, Minnesota 55112 <br />July 31, 2008 <br />RE: Rental Licensing, code Enforcement and Administrative citations <br />Dear Noah: <br />Suite 800 <br />55 East Fifth Street <br />St. Paul, MN 5510E-1718 <br />(651) 291-8955 <br />1651) 228-1753 facsimile <br />www. pub-pacom <br />(651)290-6907 <br />fil[a.ppfb-pa.cam <br />VIA EMAIL <br />Recently, the city of Arden Rills has been considering whether to establish a licensing <br />ordinance for rental properties within the City. A citizens' task force met on two occasions <br />to discuss the merits of such are ordinance, and other alternatives. The task force has <br />made its recommendation to the Council. <br />As I understand the background of the discussion, there is some concern among the <br />Council and the community about on -going property issues, such as panting, property <br />maintenance, noise, nuisance conditions, and the like. As the task force debated the <br />issues, they also discussed pursuing stepped up enforcement of the Cit_y's applicable Code <br />provisions through the Building Official. This was relevant to the question of rental <br />licensing because such activity could provide a viable alternative to a rental licensing <br />ordinance. The task force also discussed the possibility of a rental registration ordinance, <br />and seemed interested in exploring alternatives to rental licensing or rental registration. <br />In addition to the implementation of a rental licensing ordinance, or a rental registration as <br />a means of addressing on -going property concerns, the City has a number of options <br />available, namely code enforcement, civil actions, abatement authority, hazardous building <br />provisions, and administrative fines. Each of these options is available for both rental and <br />owner -occupied properties. Each option is discussed below. <br />Code Enforcement By Notice and Citation. <br />The City's usual Code Enforcement process starts,when a property owner files a complaint <br />regarding the use or the maintenance of a neighbo.r's property. At this stage, the identity of <br />the reporting property owner is confidential pursuant to the terms of the Minnesota Data <br />Practices Act. Upon the receipt of the complaint, the City usually undertakes the following: <br />`ALSC AUNi ITTE D I N W ISCON51 N <br />